Dispenser for powdered materials



July 6, 1965 A. G. VARA, SR

DISPENSER FOR POWDERED MATERIALS Filed Jan. 2, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 5 at.

dalomeys July 6, 1965 A. s. VARA, sR

DISPENSER FOR POWDERED MATERIALS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 2, 1962 INVENTOR. g 1/ IA.

mew

3,l 3,145 DISPENSER FUR POWDERED MATERIALS Arthur G. Vara, Sr., 53 Clar-ir Sh, Hamburg, FLY. Filed den. 2, i962, Ser. No. 163,547 1 Claim. (1. ZZZ-32) This invention relates to a dispenser for powdered materials and more particularly to a dispenser for feeding activated carbon, or other filtering aid powders, at a controlled uniform rate from containers into the liquid solvent recirculating through the clothes washer of a dry cleaning system, the recirculation being through a filter on which the activated carbon, together with any other filtering aid powders builds up as a filter cake.

Activated carbon in the form of a very fine powder is used in dry cleaning systems to coat the filter plates and other surfaces contacted by the liquid solvent for the purpose of removing dyes, free fatty acids which if left in the clothes would produce objectionable odors, and other impurities, the activated carbon removing these free fatty acids, dyes and other impurities by absorp tion. Other filtering aid powders, such as fullers earth can also be fed into the dry cleaning liquid solvent along with the activated carbon. With activated carbon and such other filtering aid powders it is important that the powder be fed into the solution continuously over a long period of time to obtain a constant build up of the coating or filter cake on the filter plates and other surfaces so that a fresh supply of activated carbon and other filtering aid powders is continuously being introduced to absorb the free fatty acids, dyes and other impurities released from the clothes being cleaned.

As presently practiced the introduction of activated carbon is a messy operation because the activated carbon is supplied in paper bags which are required to be opened and dumped into the feeder. In the process of opening and dumping the bags the activated carbon flies around and dirties equipment, floors, walls and cleaned clothing removed from the dry cleaning apparatus.

The principal object of the present invention is to avoid such messy release of powder on opening the bag, this objective being achieved by not opening the bag. In accordance with the invention the bag is placed in a container and in doing so is pierced by a liquid solvent supply tube having an opening discharging liquid solvent into the bag which gradually washes the powder out of the bag, the powder bearing solvent escaping through the hole pierced in the bag and returning to the dry cleaning apparatus through a drain in the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the feeding of the powder into the liquid solvent at a uniform rate so that the same amount of powder is fed when the bag is full as when the bag is practically empty.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and eifective control for the-rate at which the powder is fed to the liquid solvent, this being achieved by providing a control valve in the line which supplies the liquid solvent to the pipe which pierces the bag.

Another object of the invention is to insure that the bag does not block the travel of the powder bearing liquid solvent through the container to its drain.

Another object is to provide'such a dispenser in which collapse of the bag is avoided.

Another object is to provide such a dispenser in which opening up of the folded over mouth of the bag due to the internal pressure within the bag is avoided so that the powder is required at all times to escape through the pierced hole or holes in the bag.

Another object is to provide such a dispenser in which bag it can be pierced at an additional point to insure United States Patent ice the escape of powder at a uniform rate regardless of the amount of powder in the bag.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a dispenser in which powders from two separate bags can be simultaneously fed at a slow rate into the liquid solvent, this permitting of feeding, say, activated charcoal from one bag and fullers earth from another bag.

Another object is to provide apparatus which can be used with round or square metal cans.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a dispenser which is of rugged and durable construction and at the same time can be produced at low cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the washer, pump and filter of conventional dry cleaning apparatus for clothes and showing the present dispenser incorporated therein.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section through the dispenser and the top portion of the tank into which it discharges, the section being taken generally on line 2-2, FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken generally on line 3-3, FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken generally on line i4, FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but illustrating a modified form of the invention.

The powder, such as activated carbon or fullers earth, is supplied to the dry cleaning establishment in paper bags indicated at in, such paper bags having a rectangular bottom 11 and four rectangular side walls 12 terminating at an upper open end or mouth 13, the upper ends of the side walls being rolled or folded over, as

indicated at 14, to prevent the escape of the powder. As now practiced, the folded or rolled over part 14 closing the mouth 13 is opened up and the powder (not shown) contained within the bag is added to the liquid solvent. Both the opening up and emptying of the bag releases some of the powder into the air and particularly with activated carbon this release is undesirable and messy, soiling clothes, apparatus, floors and walls.

In the practice of the present invention, it is desirable to provide means for positively preventing the rolled or folded over portion 14 at the mouth 13 of the bag from opening up under internal bag pressures which develop, as hereinafter described, such means being in the form of a conventional spring clip 15 having spring legs which embrace and yieldingly hold the folded portion 14 together and having fingerpieces 18 by means of which the legs 16 can be spread apart against their spring resistance which draws them together, thereby to permit of applying the clip to the folded over part 14 and to remove the clip from an empty bag.

Referring to FIG. 1 the clothes to be dry cleaned are placed in a washer indicated generally at 20 and in which they are washed with liquid dry cleaning solvent, the solvent collecting in a tank 21 at the bottom of the washer. A pump 22 is mounted on this tank and has its inlet 23 projecting down into the tank so as to withdraw the liquid solvent therefrom. The outlet 24 from this pump connects with a filter 25 having the usual filter plates (not shown) through which the liquid solvent passes and returns to the tank 21 via a drain line 26. In addition to solids removed from the clothes in the washer Zil, the dry cleaner solvent removes from the clothes odoriferous free fatty acids, dyes and other impurities which must be removed in the filter 25 to avoid recontamination of clothes in the Washer 20. This is done by coating the plates in the filter 25 with activated carbon powder and other filter agent in powder form such as fullers earth. The activated carbon is particularly effective in absorbing free fatty acids and dyes from the liquid solvent. However to be fully effective the activated carbon must be introduced in suspension in the solvent in small amounts at a regular rate so that the recirculating liquid solvent always contacts freshactivated carbon, the activated carbon building up on the plates of the filter as a filter cake. 7

The present invention provides such a dispenser or feeder'for the activated carbon or other filtering aid powders which can be regulated to supply the powder in suspension at any required rate and is preferably constructed as follows.

The numeral 30 representsa rigid container shown as made of sheet metal and having a rectangular bottom wall 31 from" the edges of which connected rectangular side wallsl32' rise to form a liquid tight container, the edges ofthe. bottom wall 31 being preferably seamed to the lower ends of the side walls '32 as indicated at 33. The top of this container is open as indicated at 34 and this mouth is shown, as being turned over or beaded as indicated at 35. It is desirable but not essential that the openrtop 34 be provided with a closure and that this closure be releasably latched in its closed condition, thereby to, prevent accidental escape of liquid a washer 58, is provided on these threads below the bottom wall 31 of the container. It will be seen that by drawing these nuts together the reinforcing bottom plate 48 is drawn against gasket 49 not only to reinforce the bottom wall '31 of the container 30 but that also this gasket 49 provides a liquid seal to prevent the escape of liquid from the container 30 around the pipe 50. t

The lower threaded extremity of the pipe 50 projects down belowthe bottomtof the container 30 and connects with a line 59 the opposite end of which connects with the outlet line 24 from the pump 22 as best shown 'in FIG. 1'. Accordingly liquid solvent at the outlet presor'powder through the open mouth 34vunder all conr ditions ofoperation. To this end the closure is shown as being in the form of a sheet metal cover 36 having a depending rim 38 which fits snugly, around the exterior of the upper end of, the container and which is shown as having a depressed center 39 in which a bearing block 40 is securedv in any suitable manner, this hearing block being on the top side of the cover. a

' A pair of brackets 41 are secured to diametrically opposite sides of the container and are shown as. being in the form, of metal strips which project upwardly alongside the rim 38 of the closed cover and as pro: videdat their upper ends with horizontal slits, 42. These 'slits receive the opposite ends of a horizontal latching bar 43 having a nut 44 welded at its center. This nut carries a vertical thumb screw 45 the lower end of which; screws against the bearing block 40. It will be seen that by unscrewing the thumb screw 45 both the latching cross bar 43 and the cover 36 are released, the former being slid horizontally out of the slots 42 and the latterbeing lifted from the upper end of the container. 30. After the container has been refilled with a bag 10. offpowder the cover'is replaced and the latching cross bar 43 moved horizontally to engage its ends in the slot 42 following which the, thumb screw 45 is screwed down to apply pressure against the top of the cover36.

' For the practice of the present invention it is desirable to reinforce the bottom wall 31 of thecontainer 30 and to this end a reinforcing bottom plate 48 is pro-.

vided which is slightly less than the internal size of the container. This plate is supported on a gasket 49 of soft resilient plastic 'inaterial and which is in turn supported on the bottom wall 31.,

A feature of the invention is the provision of a liquid solvent supply pipe 50 projecting upwardly into the container 30 from the bottom thereof and having its upper end open, to providera discharge opening as indicated at 51. This discharge'opening is preferably provided by cutting the upper end of this supply pipe at an oblique angle to its axis, as indicated at 52, this providing a sharp pointed edge as indicated at 53. i 1

The lower end of the pipe 50 is threaded, as indicated at 54, and extends through openings provided in the bottom plate 48, gasket 49 and bottom wall 31 of the container. A nut is provided on these threadsabove the bottom plate 48 and another nut 56, together with 'sure of the pump 22 .is supplied to discharge from the outlet opening 51 of'the vertical pipe 50. An important feature of the invention is that the rate of flow of this liquid solvent is under manual control, this being achieved by the regulating valve 60 in the line 59.

The container 30 can be' supported on the top of the tank 21 in any suitable manner as by a vertical drain pipe 61 the upper open end of which extends through the bottom 31 of the container aswell as the gasket 49 and reinforcing bottom plate 48 and is secured'to these parts by means of a threaded ring or nut 62. The lower end of this pipe 61 is secured to and discharges into the tank 21;

Accordingly, the line 61 is a drain for the container 30 which discharges into the tank 21'. r v

This drain 61 is preferably from a compartment 63 at oneside of the bag 10, this compartment 63 being provided :by an internal partition or battle 64 the opposite'vertical edges of which are suitably secured to opposed side walls 32, of the tank as best shown in FIG. 3 and the bottom edge of which is preferably spaced above the bottom'of the container. 7 By the provision of this bafile 64 and chamber 63 the bag 19, fitted in the chamber 66- at the other side of the partition, cannot be placed or shifted to cover the drain 61 and hence free escape of the powder bearing liquid solvent from the container 30 is assured at all times. As best shown'in'FIG. 3, the center of this partition 64 is preferably provided with a cylindrical oifset 68 to accominodate cylindrical metalcans 10a in the chamber 66 in lieu ofthe paper bags 10, V

While it'ispr'actical to use the pointed edge 53 of the inlet pipe 50 to pierce the bag 10 or metal can IOa'fo-rced down into the compartment 66, it is desirable to have a special piece 70 for this purpose. This piece can be made of a 'metal'which will retain a cutting edge and is in the form of an upright sheet metal probe 71 of channel shape in cross section which embraces the inlet tube 50 and has a bottom flange 72 which can be welded, soldered,-brazed or otherwise secured -to the'bottom plate 48. As with the inlet pipe 50, the upper end of the piercing means 70 is cut at an oblique angle to its axis, as indicated at 73, this providing asharp pointed edge indicated at 74.

1 It is desirable to pierce the bottom of the bag 10 or metal 021111061 at another point, and to this end a second piercing means or probe 70 is mounted to project upwardly from the bottom 'plate 48. To this end a strip of metal in the form of a bridge 75 has its flanged legs 76 secured, as by welding or soldering, to the bottom plate 48 in the chamber 66 in spaced relation to the pierce surrounding the inlet pipe 50. On this bridge piece 75 is welded or soldered another pierce'or probe 70. Also it'is desirable to have atlargeopening'77 at the bottom of the probe 70 to facilitate escape of the liquidfrom the holes69 and along the bottom of the bag when the bag is largely emptied of powder. f r

In charging the dispenser, a filled bag 10 (or cylindrical metal can 104) is lowered, bottom 11 first into the chamber 66 of'thecontainer 30 from which the cover 36 has been removed. In so inserting the bag itis pressed down so: that the. sharpenededge 74 ofthe' probe or piercing means 70 pierces a hole 78in the bottom 11 of the bag,

" andflifts a small'Tfla'pf79from the material forming this in the bottom of the bag by the piercing means or probe 70 on the bridge piece 75. After the cover 36 has been replaced, the valve 64} is opened to the required extent and hence liquid solvent from the pump discharge 24 and line 59 will enter the pipe 50 and emerge from its open upper end. This liquid solvent flows through the powde contained in the bag and picks up and carries with it a small amount of this powder, the powder bearing liquid solvent escaping through the pierced holes 78 to the bottom of the container 30 from which it escapes through the drain 61 into the tank 21. This powder while still in suspension is drawn into the filter 25 where it builds up and constantly refreshes a uniform coating on the filter plates free from blobs or areas of excessive thickness.

It has been found that uniformity, in point of rate of feeding of the powder regardless of whether the bag It) is full or empty, is improved both by providing the additional piercing means or probe 70 on the bridge piece 75 and also by the provision of small holes 69 through the sides of the pipe 50 near the lower end thereof. The rod or probe 70 on the bridge piece 75 pierces a second hole '78 in the bottom 11 of the bag.

In the operation of the form of the invention shown in FIGS. l-4, the valve is closed and the cover 36 removed by loosening the thumb screw 45 which permits removal of the cross bar 43 and cover 36. A bag 10 of, say, powdered activated carbon is removed from stock and the spring clip placed over the rolled or folded over portion 14 of the bag so that its spring legs 15 bear against the opposite sides of this rolled or folded over portion to prevent the mouth 13 from opening under the internal pressures which develop within the bag 10. After the spring clip 15 has been so applied the bag is lowered, bottom 11 first, into the container 30 into the compartment 66 on the left hand side of the batlle 64, as viewed in FIG. 4, the chamber 63 on the opposite side of this bafiie being too small to receive this bag. If material in a cylindrical can 10a. is to be fed to the solvent, such a can is inserted into the chamber 66, the oitset 58 accommodating such a can. The bag is then pushed down so that the sharpened upper edges 74 of the piercing means or probes 70 pierce the bottom 11 of the bag and produce the holes 7 8 therein, as well as producing the flaps 79 which are pushed up into the material of the bag. It a metal can 10a is inserted, similar holes and flaps are produced in the bottom of the cam. The bag It) is pushed down until its bottom 11 is stopped by the structure at the bottom of the container 39 it being noted that the bridge piece 75 holds the portion of the bag bottom 11 near the drain hole 61 away from the reinforcing bottom plate 48 so that powder bearing liquid solvent can escape from under the bottom of the bag into this drain. The cover 36 and latching bar 43 are then replaced and the thumb screw 45 tightened down so that the cover 36 is latched in closed position over the upper open end of the container 30.

The operator then opens the valve 60 to the required setting. This results in a by-pass flow of some of the liquid solvent from the pump outlet 24 through the line 59 into the bottom of the upstanding pipe 50. This liquid solvent permeates the powder contained in the bag and sets up a flow indicated generally by the arrows in FIG. 2. Thus a good part of this liquid flows down the sides of the pierces or probes 7t) and escapes through the pierced holes 78 and thence from under the bag 16 into the bottom of the container 30 where it flows along the bottom of the chamher 63 under the baffie 64 into the drain 61 which returns it to the tank 21. Another part of this liquid flows down along the sides of the bag and also escape through the pierced holes 7 8.

From the tank 21 this powder bearing liquid, in suspension in the liquid solvent coming from the washer 20, is picked up by the pump 22 and discharged into the filter 25 where the powder builds up as a filter cake on the filter 5 plates (not shown). Being in suspension in small amount the filter cake so built up on the filter plates builds up as a uniform coating instead of in blobs or areas of greater thickness than other and which blobs offer greater impedance and reduce the efiiciency of the filter. Also the coating is constantly being refreshed to maintain its absorptivity. As the liquid solvent passes through these filter plates so constantly being coated, not only are the solids, such as cloth fibers, removed from the liquid solvent but also the free fatty acids, dyes and other impurities are removed by the activated carbon filter cake which is constantly being refreshed by the addition of small amounts of activated carbon. The rate at which the filtering aid powder builds up on the filter plates is determined by the degree to which the valve 6% is opened, this valve controlling this rate of buildup within wide limits.

When the bag has been largely emptied, the openings 69 are particularly eifective in providing a lateral Washing of the powder and cleaning out of the bottom of the bag together with the discharge of the powder at the same rate as when the bag is full of powder.

With reference to the form of the invention shown in FIG. 5, this form of the invention is identical with that shown in FIGS. 1-4, except that the container 30a is larger in a horizontal direction and two bags ltlc and the] are placed in this container, this container having two partitions 64a and 6417, which provide a chamber 63a above the drain 61a and which is too small to receive either of the bags 10c or and two chambers 66a and 66b of different sizes as shown. The line 59 is provided with two branches 59a and 5912 each containing a valve 60a, 69b and one connecting with the bottom of an upright tube Silo and the other connecting with the bottom of the tube Stlb, these tubes being constructed and mounted in the same manner as the tube 5%) in the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 14. As with the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-4 each bag 10c, 10d is also penetrated by piercing means or probes 76a, these being mounted in the same manner as with the piercing means or probes 70 in the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-4.

In other respects the form of the invention as shown in FIG. 5 is identical with that shown in FIGS. 1-4 and it will be seen that the essential difference between the two forms is that the form of the invention shown in FIG. 5 accommodates and simultaneously operates upon two bags lltlc and 10a of powder. One or" these bags can be substantially larger than the other as shown and the other can be filled with, say, activated charcoal powder and the other with powdered fullers earth. Cylindrical metal cans (not shown) can also be accommodated in the chamber 66]; by virtue of the offset 68a in the partition 64b. The feeding of these two powders is simultaneous and the relative rate of discharge of the two powders can be altered by adjusting the valves 69a and 60b in the same manner as with the form of the invention shown in FIGS. l4.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a dispenser particularly adapted to feed small quantities of powder into a liquid at a constant rate and which can be recharged by simply pushing a bag or thin walled metal can, hereinafter collectively called a thin walled package into the container of the feeder, this bag being pierced by a liquid supply tube to mix the powder and liquid in the bag.

I claim:

A device for slowly feeding powder into a liquid, comprising a closed thin walled package containing said powder and capable of being manually perforated, a container for said package having a bottom wall and a side wall forming a chamber with a top opening through which said package is inserted downwardly into said chamber, a liquid inlet pipe projecting from said bottom wall into said chamber and having an opening discharging liquid into said chamber, a probe projecting from said bottom wall alongside said liquid inlet pipe and being provided at its upper end with a sharp edge for piercing a hole,

age into said draining means, a bridge-shaped piece of metal having legs, said legs being secured to the said bottom wall of said container, anda second probe of channel form in cross section mounted on said bridgeshaped piece of metal. I r

References Cited by the Examiner Weber -2 22286 Matthews 210193 X Angelus et a1. 210-496 Footlick 2430.5 X Tyler 210-443 X Lang 22288 X Hope 22288 X Knabel 222-86 RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner. WILLIAM D. MARTIN, Examiner. 

